Commercial Pilot Jobs in South Carolina
Cities in South Carolina with Aviation Schools:
- Aiken
- Anderson
- Beaufort
- Berea
- Bluffton
- Cayce
- Charleston
- Clemson
- Columbia
- Conway
- Dentsville
- Easley
- Five Forks
- Florence
- Fort Mill
- Gaffney
- Gantt
- Georgetown
- Goose Creek
- Greenville
- Greenwood
- Greer
- Hanahan
- Hilton Head Island
- Irmo
- James Island
- Ladson
- Lake Wylie
- Lexington
- Mauldin
- Moncks Corner
- Mount Pleasant
- Myrtle Beach
- Myrtle Beach North
- North Augusta
- North Charleston
- North Myrtle Beach
- Orangeburg
- Parker
- Port Royal
- Red Hill
- Rock Hill
- Seven Oaks
- Simpsonville
- Socastee
- Spartanburg
- St Andrews
- Summerville
- Sumter
- Taylors
- Wade Hamn
- West Columbia
Commercial Pilot Jobs South Carolina

South Carolina Commercial Pilot Salary - How Much Do Commercial Pilots Make?
Commercial Pilot Benefits

Depending on the company you work for, as a commercial pilot you may be eligible to receive health insurance, life insurance, and disability benefits, along with retirement plans and "per diem" pay for longer trips, but these benefits are fairly rare for most commercial pilot jobs.
Seniority Affects Pay
As a new commercial pilot, you can expect to make entry level pay, fly older, less sophisticated aircraft, and fly less desirable routes and schedules. New commercial pilots typically must "pay their dues" in this role in order to accumulate the required hours to apply for better jobs and move up the career ladder into higher paying jobs. Get more information about commercial pilot training.
Pilot Training - What you need to know to fly for a living

Commercial pilots with two years of college or more have an advantage over pilots with only a high school diploma. However, many operations do hire pilots with only a high school education. Pilots who have degrees in aviation-related fields like aeronautics have a better chance of landing a job. If you want to become a commercial pilot, there are two routes to take: military or civilian training. Military training is only a viable option for people with top grades and a four year degree, as competition for military flying slots is fierce, to say the least. The majority of new commercial pilot training occurs at flight schools, flight academies, and colleges with flight training programs.
Where to Find Commercial Pilot Training Near South Carolina
Most schools, academies, and colleges offer pilot training for people with no experience. These programs will have a base price for earning all the required licenses and ratings to become a commercial pilot and begin building your flight hours to find a job. Keep in mind that the quoted price is for people who progress at the "average" rate, so the price can go lower or higher, depending on your personal progress.
Building Commercial Pilot Hours

Since you will need to build flight hours after earning your licenses and ratings, it's important to find a flight school or academy that offers jobs to its graduates. This way, assuming you are professional in your approach to flying and the flight training environment, you are virtually assured of having your first "commercial pilot" job after graduation, and have a chance to build those flight hours and experience you need to move on to your next position. Learn about commercial pilot jobs.
As a commercial pilot, you will be required to take additional training and check rides periodically, depending on the type of operation you work for, and the type of aircraft being flown. Ongoing training is a reality for all commercial pilots.
Fixed-Wing Aircraft Facts - Wing Configurations
Both the leading edge and the trailing edge of the wing may be straight or curved, or one edge may be straight and the other curved. One or both edges may be tapered so that the wing is narrower at the tip than at the root where it joins the fuselage. The wingtip may be square, rounded, or even pointed. Figure 1-19 shows a number of typical wing leading and trailing edge shapes.
Fun Facts About Flight Dispatchers
FAA flight dispatcher license requirements: Must be at least 23 years of age. High school graduate or international equivalent education.Ability to read, write, and communicate in the English Language. Minimum of 200 hours of instruction. Passing Score on FAA Aircraft Dispatcher Practical Test.
Commercial Pilot Jobs South Carolina
Commercial Pilot License - Which License and Ratings Will You Need?
To become a commercial pilot in South Carolina, you need to be at least 18 years old (although you can earn your private pilot's license at 17, you must be 18 or older to get your commercial pilot license) and get at least a third class FAA medical certificate. The medical certificate ensures that you are in good overall health, have good vision (corrected or uncorrected is okay) and don't have any disabilities which could affect your ability to fly, although the FAA may grant a waiver for individual cases. Learn about commercial pilot jobs.
List of Licenses and Ratings
Commercial pilots typically hold some or all of the following licenses, ratings, and certificates, depending on the operation:
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Medical First Class - Certificate
- Private Pilot - License
- Commercial Pilot - License
- Instrument Pilot - Rating
- Multi-Engine - Rating
- Type Rating - Rating specific to the type of aircraft being flown, if necessary
The Road to a Commercial Pilot License
The first license you earn is private pilot. Next, most people get their instrument rating, and then go on to the commercial pilot license. Some operations don't require an instrument rating. However, possessing the rating is always beneficial both for piloting skills and getting jobs. If you'll be flying multi-engine aircraft (and you probably will), you'll need to earn a multi-engine rating, and, if flying larger aircraft (over 12,500 pounds gross weight) or turbo jet aircraft, you'll also need a type rating for that specific model or family of aircraft. Many companies offer type rating training specifically for this purpose. Get more information on commercial pilot training.
South Carolina Commercial Pilot License Tests
Most, but not all, FAA licenses and ratings require that you pass written, oral, and practical (check ride) tests given by approved testing centers and designated examiners.
Accelerated Flight Training - Condensed training helps pilots retain info, earn more ratings, and get jobs
No matter how you look at it, flight training is a lengthy process. There are many new things to learn and hundreds of flight hours to gain. When it comes down to it, flight training can only be condensed so much before it bumps up against regulations. This presents a bit of a problem to someone looking to start a career in aviation. Training costs money, but it's going to be a while before flying will pay. So what's the best solution? Accelerated training. Accelerated flight training offers some notable benefits including being good for career pilots, quick progression through ratings, and increased job placement opportunities. Great for Career Pilots
Accelerated training is great for career pilots. It allows the student to condense their training into a few weeks or months rather than years. This works by allowing the student to fly multiple lessons per week while also taking consolidated ground school. The nature of the training typically demands the student train like a full-time job--eight hours a day, five days a week. This is great for someone who's looking to get started with a career in the quickest amount of time. It's unfortunately not so great for someone who can't devote more than a few hours per week.
Most accelerated training programs function similarly to military training in that students alternate between flying and classroom instruction before entering a phase of longer flights. Some accelerated programs even dispatch students and aircraft on a series of long flights that are intended to provide a large amount of flight time and allow the student a more varied cross-country experience.
Quick Progression Through Ratings
This type of training is primarily designed to fast track students to ratings. Rather than taking six months to obtain a private pilot certificate or an instrument rating, it can take as little as fourteen days. How can you take something that takes six months and effectively learn it in fourteen days? Attend ground school and flight training eight hours per day. The bottom line on all flight training is the more you do it, the more you retain. Accelerated programs are based on this concept and their success stems from the fact that their students are immersed in flying so much that they can't help but learn.
Job Placement Opportunities
Most of the larger accelerated flight training schools offer job placement to graduates. They have agreements with some airlines and often directly offer employment to some of the graduates. This is a great asset to someone looking to break into the aviation career field. When considering job placement agreements, some schools offer actual job placements while some offer guaranteed interviews. Either is better than nothing no matter how you look at it. It's debatable, but the single biggest employer of many accelerated flight training program graduates is often the schools offering the programs. After all, they need flight instructors to teach their students and someone who's familiar with the program is a great asset.
As you can see, for someone trying to launch into an aviation career, accelerated flight training has a number of benefits. Even people that are just trying to get several ratings at once can benefit from an accelerated program. So if you're looking for a flying career and you have time to devote to training, consider an accelerated program.
The Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook
This volume contains information on airframe construction features, assembly and rigging, fabric covering, structural repairs, and aircraft welding. The handbook also contains an explanation of the units that make up the various airframe systems. Because there are so many different types of aircraft in use today, it is reasonable to expect that differences exist in airframe components and systems.
Fun Helicopter Facts for Charleston
Helicopters can be flown across oceans if additional fuel is made available or in-flight refueling is employed.
As the helicopter approaches the ground, the pilot must then get rid of most of their forward motion and slow the decent using the stored up kinetic energy in the rotors. If done perfectly, the landing will be quite gentle. They accomplish this by executing a flare, pitching the nose up, at the right moment.
In fact, you have a better chance at surviving in a helicopter when the engine fails than you do in an airplane. Helicopters are designed specifically to allow pilots to have a reasonable chance of landing them safely in the case where the engine stops working during flight, often with no damage at all.
Helicopter Training Facts for Columbia:
With enough hours and experience, you can look for jobs with charter companies, tourism and sightseeing organizations and other places that use helicopters in their operations. As well as life flight opportunities. Some employers might also expect their pilots to have some level of college education.
Helicopter Spotlight for Columbia
The RotorWay Exec is a family of American two-bladed, skid-equipped, two-seat kit helicopters, manufactured by RotorWay International and supplied in kit form for amateur-construction. The Exec 162F is the latest in the Exec series of helicopters manufactured by RotorWay International.The RotorWay Scorpion design was updated with an aluminum tail and full fiberglass cockpit enclosure to become the Exec. The Exec 90 was developed in the early 1990s, it was, at the time, the only piston-powered helicopter to utilize an asymmetrical airfoil for improved autorotation characteristics and safety.In 1994, a fuel injection system with electronic ignition, and FADEC was added to the Exec 90, producing the Exec 162F. Unlike most U.S.-designed helicopters, the main rotor on the Exec 162F rotates clock-wise, as seen from above. The Exec series was further developed into the RotorWay A600 Talon, which replaced the Exec in production.
Helicopter Pilot Jobs for Goose Creek
A relatively common helicopter pilot job is working for emergency medical services. This typically involves flying solo and in weather conditions and over terrain that is challenging and sometimes dangerous. Some territories can be extremely remote and it is safer to send in helicopter teams than teams on the ground.
Helicopter Spotlight for Goose Creek
The TAI/AgustaWestland T129 is an attack helicopter based on the Agusta A129 Mangusta. The T129 was developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) with AgustaWestland as the primary partner. The helicopter is designed for hot and high environments.
The ATAK programme was begun to meet the Turkish Armed Forces' requirements for an attack and tactical reconnaissance helicopter. The T129 is the result of the integration of Turkish developed high-tech avionics and weapon systems onto the combat proven AgustaWestland A129 airframe with upgraded engines transmission and rotor blades. It is in use by the Turkish Army and is being offered to other air forces.
Fun Helicopter Facts for Greenville
In recent years, however, private industry has probably accounted for the greatest increase in helicopter use, as many companies have begun to transport their executives via helicopter. In addition, helicopter shuttle services have proliferated, particularly along the urban corridor of the American Northeast. Still, among civilians the helicopter remains best known for its medical, rescue, and relief uses.
Aviation History for Greenville
In 1937 German designer Heinrich Focke built an aircraft with two huge variable pitch rotors instead of wings and achieved a controlled hover. Months later, German Anton Flettner built the first true helicopter.
Helicopter Factoid for Hilton Head Islands for Hilton Head Island
Helicopters are classified as rotary wing aircraft, and their rotary wing is commonly referred to as the main rotor or simply the rotor.
Helicopter rotor systems consist of between two and six blades attached to a central hub. Usually long and narrow, the blades turn relatively slowly, because this minimizes the amount of power necessary to achieve and maintain lift, and also because it makes controlling the vehicle easier.
Helicopter Spotlight for Hilton Head Island
SpeedHawk is a concept aircraft based on applying X-49A compounding concepts to a production UH-60 Black Hawk offering better performance range and increases in useful load. The SpeedHawk aircraft includes an SPU (third engine) high forward-swept wing concept a 45-inch fuselage plug cabin extension and several other drag reducing and performance-oriented improvements including a rotor hub fairing.
Helicopter Factoid for Mount Pleasants for Mount Pleasant
The helicopter was put to military use almost immediately after its introduction. While it was not utilized extensively during World War II, the jungle terrain of both Korea and Vietnam prompted the helicopter's widespread use during both of those wars, and technological refinements made it a valuable tool during the Persian Gulf War as well.
Helicopter Spotlight for Mount Pleasant
The Atlas Oryx (named after the Oryx antelope) is a medium-sized utility helicopter which is manufactured by the Atlas Aircraft Corporation (now Denel Aviation). The SAAF was the largest user of Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma. The Oryx can trace its origins back to the Bush War. Despite the efforts of the gunship Alouette, the need for a dedicated gunship was recognized. Atlas Aircraft Corporation produced an experimental attack helicopter, the Alpha XH-1. This helicopter was used for feasibility studies and could not serve any practical purpose - this led to the more powerful XTP-1 in April 1987. Two XTP-1s were converted, and based on a Puma J airframe. Various weapons and other systems were tested on XTP-1 and paved the way for Project: Denel Rooivalk. However, the dynamic flight components of the XTP-1 made Atlas realize what advantages an upgraded Puma could have.
Helicopter Fun Facts for North Charleston
The helicopter was eventually perfected by Igor Sikorsky. Advances in aerodynamic theory and building materials had been made since Sikorsky's initial endeavor, and, in 1939, he lifted off the ground in his first operational helicopter. Two years later, an improved design enabled him to remain aloft for an hour and a half, setting a world record for sustained helicopter flight.
Helicopter Spotlight for North Charleston
The Bell Model 309 KingCobra was an experimental attack helicopter developed by Bell Helicopter based on the Bell AH-1 Cobra. Bell announced the KingCobra program in January 1971. Two prototypes were built one with a P&WC T400-CP-400 Twin Pac dual turboshaft engine system much like that used on the AH-1J but with a stronger drive train allowing full 1800 shp (1340 kW) operation and the other with a single Lycoming T55-L-7C turboshaft engine with 2000 shp (1490 kW). The twin engine KingCobra first flew on 10 September 1971. It looked much like an AH-1J except for a longer and distinctive buzzard beak nose and a ventral fin like that on the original Model 209 demonstrator. However there were significant changes that were less noticeable:
Helicopter Pilot Jobs for Rock Hill
Helicopter pilot jobs range from sightseeing and aerial photography to working with emergency rescue groups or news-gathering agencies. Other career opportunities include instruction, forestry, surveying and mapping, heavy-lifting, and flying for the military.
Helicopter Spotlight for Rock Hill
The Aérospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon, (Super Frelon - Super Hornet) is a three-engined heavy transport helicopter produced by Aérospatiale of France. The helicopter is still in use in China where the locally produced version is known as the Z-8. The SA-3210 Super Frelon was developed by Sud-Aviation from the original SE-3200 Frelon. Sikorsky was contracted to supply the design of a new six-bladed main rotor and five-bladed tail rotor. Fiat supplied a design for a new main transmission. The first flight of the Super Frelon was December 7, 1962. A modified prototype Super Frelon helicopter was used on July 23, 1963 to break the FAI absolute helicopter world speed record with a speed of 217.7 mph.
Helicopter Pilot Facts for Summerville: Specialized training, based on the kind of aircraft the pilot flies, is another requirement. Helicopter pilots are also required to have and maintain excellent physical and mental health.
Lift is proportional to the change in the air's momentum (its mass times its velocity): the greater the momentum, the greater the lift.
Lift is proportional to the change in the air's momentum (its mass times its velocity): the greater the momentum, the greater the lift.
Helicopter Spotlight for Summerville
The Lockheed Martin VH-71 Kestrel is a variant of the AgustaWestland AW101 (formerly Eh401) built to replace the United States Marine Corps' Marine One U.S. Presidential transport fleet. It was developed and built by the Lockheed Martin–led US101 Team of Lockheed Martin Systems Integration – Owego (LMSI) AgustaWestland and Bell Helicopter.
In February 2009 President Barack Obama asked Secretary of Defense Robert Gates about placing the project on hold or canceling it because of its high cost: over $13 billion for the planned 28 helicopters. In June 2009 the U.S. Navy terminated the contract after spending about $4.4 billion and taking delivery of nine VH-71s. The helicopters were then sold to Canada for $164 million for use as spare parts for its fleet of AgustaWestland CH-149 Cormorant search-and-rescue helicopters.
Helicopter Pilot Jobs for Sumter
Helicopter pilots in emergency services fields are often called upon to airlift victims of accidents, fires, or natural disasters such as flooding or the aftermath of a severe storm. Hospitals may hire pilots and pay for equipment, or the services may be provided to a hospital by an outside company.
Famous Quote in Sumter You Should Know
The helicopter: The flying carpet of the Scientific Age.” ~Michael Hampson
Everyone is a student in a helicopter -Unknown
Helicopter Spotlight for Sumter
The Mitsubishi MH 2000 is a 7/12 seat light utility helicopter. Low levels of interest in the aircraft forced Mitsubishi to halt sales of Mh4000 in September 2004. The Mh4000 is Japan's first indigenous helicopter with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) having sole responsibility for developing and manufacturing the fuselage and engines.
In the development of the Mh4000 MHI aimed for safety economy and low noise levels. The program was launched in 1995 to fulfill a variety of missions include passenger and business transport law enforcement search and rescue and emergency medical services.